News &amp; Features - September 2009

Longmont resident Angela Elliott sits atop Patches as she trots around an arena during a riding lesson Thursday afternoon with Joe Andrews, left, at Mountain Magic Ranch west of Loveland.

Ruth McConnell, a waitress at Fatso’s Diner, chats with customers Marsha and Edward Thompson of Loveland on Thursday during lunch at the new diner.

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Loveland resident Ed Vasquez stands in his backyard garden Friday as he describes the various reused and recycled materials he used to build many of its features including wooden planters and its lattice fence.

One of the recently painted transformer boxes adds to the scenery at Mariana Butte Golf Course as Mike Terpstra and his granddaughter, Ashley Terpstra, 7, prepare for a round of golf in the background. This box, titled "Limitless," was painted by artist Alyson Kinkade.

Cindy and Rick Sprague pose for a photo Wednesday showing off some of the many dahlia flowers they grow at their Loveland home.

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A number of used or recycled materials were used in the construction of Ed Vasquez's backyard garden. The gate in the foreground and potting bench at rear were made with used redwood boards and the wood borders around the raised planting areas were originally fence posts.

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Ed Vasquez's backyard garden is constructed with various reused and recycled materials including this pile of used redwood boards.

Dahlias, Cindy and Rick Sprague.

Dahlias, Cindy and Rick Sprague.

Accident on I-25.

Ruth Bronson right talks with her greatgrandchildren Jason Boynton, 17, out of frame, Taylor Buck, 18, center, and Clayton Buck, 15, as Bronson's family celebrate her 99th birthday on Sunday at the North Shore Health Facility. Her actual birthday is on Sept. 9, 2009, a date auspicious because her 99th birthday falls on a date with so many nines in it.

A group of students from Berthoud Elementary School, Turner Middle School and Berthoud High School watch President Obama on television Tuesday morning at Laurie Hindman's Berthoud home.

Flames engulf a tree during a wildfire near Glen Haven on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009.

An airplane drops fire retardant on a 30-acre wildfire Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009, on Triangle Mountain west of Loveland.

Brayden Buck, 4, boxes with the balloons that commemorate his great grandmother Ruth Bronson's 99th birthday. Brayden Buck's birthday is the day after his great grandmother's.

FILE PHOTO: The Lothian and Borders Police Pipe band performs for an audience during the Longs Peak Scottish/Irish Highlands Festival at the fairgrounds in Estes Park.

Zebastian Lucero, 9, of Thornton enjoys a snow cone on Sunday at the Thunder in the Rockies motorcycle rally.

Bob and Judy Ikola of Bailey have a water balloon fight with their daughter Jackie, 11, on Sunday during the Suicidal Lifestyles motorcycle stunt show at the Thunder in the Rockies motorcycle rally.

From right, Kate Hubbard, her husband James Lechleidner, and Marquie Vallejos pray for Jim Grossman of Windsor on Sunday during the blessing of the bikes at the Thunder in the Rockies motorcycle rally.

Loveland Police investigate the scene of a shooting Embassy Suites conference center near The Ranch. A witness, who declined to give his name, said a vendor shot himself accidentally during the gun show that was taking place.

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Christopher Montour, 12, center, and his grandfather, Ronald Montour, watch along with Ryan Strong, right, as Grizzly Taylor sews a patch onto Ronald's leather vest Monday during Thunder in the Rockies at The Ranch.

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Twelve-year-old Ethan Ehrfurth of Fort Collins does an ollie on his skateboard while riding around Saturday afternoon at The Ranch with his friend Luke Gregory, not pictured, who was visiting from Glendo, Wyo.

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Doug Paterson of Windsor, front, holds a sign and waves at passing motorists on Monday afternoon while demonstrating with others at the intersection of Eisenhower Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue in Loveland.

Bob Dill holds a baseball bat given to him by professional baseball player Brad Penny. Players send him special bats from which he makes custom knives.

Bob Dill poses for a portrait Tuesday showing off some of the custom knives he has made at his Loveland home.

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Motorcycle stunt rider Rhett Rotten rides his bike around during his Wall of Death show while entertaining visitors to Thunder in the Rockies on Saturday at The Ranch.

Bill McCullough and Marjorie Schafer talk Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009, about the experiences they shared when Schafer donated a kidney to McCullough.

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Motorcycle stunt rider Rhett Rotten rides his bike around during his Wall of Death show while entertaining visitors to Thunder in the Rockies on Saturday at The Ranch.

On display Saturday at Thunder in the Rockies is a 1942 Harley Davidson WLA that was used by the U.S. Army during World War II and was shipped back to the United States from Poland in 2005 and restored.

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David Horan, left, and his wife, Caron Horan, chat with Brian Owen and Sean Anderson about Horan's custom-built 2008 Victory Jackpot motorcycle on display Saturday during Thunder in the Rockies at The Ranch.

Val McCullough holds a card created by her 13-year-old grandson to thank Marjorie Schafer for donating a kidney to his grandfather, Bill McCullough.

Matt Miller, a stunt rider with Suicidal Lifestyles, shows off a trick for spectators Friday, Sept. 4, 2009, during Thunder in the Rockies at The Ranch in Loveland.

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Loveland High School teacher Marty Jasken lectures to students during his advanced placement U.S. history class on Monday, Aug. 31, 2009.

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Loveland High School on Monday, Aug. 31, 2009.

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Loveland High School teacher Matt Jones, right, discusses the book "A Separate Peace," by John Knowles during his freshman English class on Aug. 31, 2009.

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Loveland High School junior Victoria Ellison, 16, left, and classmate Jack Reilly, 16, work on a history relay storyboard during Mark Findley's Modern America history class on Aug. 31, 2009.

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Sofia's Bistro co-owner Sofia Morrow, right, chats with diners as waiter Peter Barnett pours water on Thursday afternoon at the restaruant located at 1120 N. Lincoln Ave. Seated at the table, clockwise from left, are Alda Weir and Bebe Trimble of Loveland and Melinda Watson of Georgia.

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Sofia's Bistro waiter Robert Doudna carries food to the restaurant's courtyard dining area on Thursday.

Asphalt and diesel fuel slicks atop the Cache la Poudre river from an tanker truck that crashed into it on Thursday morning.

City of Loveland Building Inspector Dave Sprague walks around a home during a preliminary inspection on Wednesday at a Habitat for Humanity home in the 2000 block of Sagittarius Drive in Loveland.

Emergency crews work the scene where a tanker crashed into the Cache la Poudre River and spilled nearly all of its 6,700 gallon capacity of asphalt and most of its 120 gallon diesel fuel into the river on Thursday.

Emergency crews work the scene where a tanker crashed into the Cache la Poudre River and spilled nearly all of its 6,700 gallon capacity of asphalt and most of its 120 gallon diesel fuel into the river on Thursday.

Emergency crews work the scene where a tanker crashed into the Cache la Poudre River and spilled nearly all of its 6,700 gallon capacity of asphalt and most of its 120 gallon diesel fuel into the river on Thursday.